Australian DJs ‘gutted and heartbroken’ at death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha

Michael Christian and Mel Greig have spoken about the death of Jacintha Saldanha (Picture: Getty)

Two Australian DJs who prank-called the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for morning sickness have said they are ‘gutted and heartbroken’ at the death of nurse of Jacintha Saldanha.

Mrs Saldanha was found dead on Friday, three days after she put a call from 2Day FM presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig through to a colleague who divulged private information about the treatment the Duchess was receiving at the private King Edward VII’s hospital.

In a pre-recorded interview with an Australian TV network, the pair claimed they thought they were making a ‘simple, harmless phone call’ that was ‘going to go on for maybe 30 seconds, and we were going to be hung up on’.

A visibly emotional Ms Greig told the interviewer: ‘I haven’t stopped thinking about it since it happened. I remember my first question was “was she a mother?”’

Jacintha Saldanha’s family are ‘devastated’ (Picture: PA)

‘I have thought about this a million times in my head, that I just wanted to reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they are OK, I really do.’

The pair have been placed on indefinite leave and are said to be receiving ‘intense’ counselling following the death of Mrs Saldanha.

An inquest into the nurse’s apparent suicide is due to be opened in the next few days.

Recalling how they heard about the nurse’s death on Saturday, Ms Greig said: ‘It was the worst phone call I’ve ever had in my life.’

She added: ‘There’s not a minute that goes by where we don’t think about her family and what they must be going through, and the thought that we may have played a part in that is gut-wrenching.’

The radio station’s owners have now claimed that at least five attempts were made to obtain permission from the two nurses involved in the hoax call before it was aired.

The family of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, from Bristol, are ‘devastated’ after losing her, an MP has said.

Flanked by Jacintha Saldanha’s husband Benedict Barboza and her two teenage children, Keith Vaz said: ‘This is a close family. They miss her every moment of every day but they are really grateful for the support of the British public and to the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness.’

The Leicester East MP, who met the family at parliament, said they had yet to receive counselling after Mrs Saldanha, 46, died.

He said the DJs, who have had counselling, had been better looked after.

London’s King Edward VII hospital announced it was setting up a Jacintha Saldanha Memorial Fund after talks with its former employee’s family.

‘We have offered our deepest condolences and any support we can provide,’ chief executive John Lofthouse said.